Starlight
by TwiLyght Sans Sparkles
Summary: An unwelcome intruder on a summer vacation sets off a series of strange events for the Malfoy and Longbottom families. NextGen. Slight AU from DH epilogue. Sequel to True Colors.


_Well, here it is. I think this will end up being a sequel to _True Colors, _but I'm not sure yet. This scene just popped into my head, and I have only a vague idea of where I'm going with it. So I hope it turns out all right. _

_Oh, and in case you're wondering, yes, Regina is my own creation. I figured the Malfoy family needed a girl child. _

* * *

><p>"Scor! Scorpius, wake up!"<p>

Scorpius Malfoy groaned, but kept his eyes closed.

"Come on, Scor! I need you!"

"What is it now, Frank?"

His friend's urgent whisper took on a panicked edge. "There's something in the bathroom!"

Scorpius rolled onto his stomach. "If it's another spider, just grab a cup and put it out on the porch. Spiders don't hurt anyone."

"It's not a spider! Just come with me, will you?" Frank sounded close to tears. Rolling his eyes, Scorpius climbed out of bed, gasping softly as his feet hit the cold floor. He allowed his friend to lead him out of the bedroom. Moonlight streamed through the windows in the main area, giving Scorpius just enough light to see.

"It's in here." Frank put his hand on the bathroom doorknob.

"Well, open the door."

"I might let it out!"

"Just open it!"

Frank turned the knob.

At first, Scorpius couldn't see what had scared his friend silly; the bathroom appeared empty. Then his eyes adjusted to the darkness, and he spotted it: a thick black cloak with tattered edges, floating a few inches above the floor. He blinked, and it rose, shook itself out, and lunged toward him. Frank slammed the door shut and leaned against it, chest heaving.

"You see?"

Scorpius sighed. That thing might be scary, but it was also interrupting his sleep. "Run to the next bungalow and get our parents. I'll make sure it doesn't get out."

"You….you'll stay….here….with _that_?"

"Just go get my dad!"

Frank dashed toward the front door, threw it open, and ran into the night. As the bamboo door crashed shut behind him, the door down the hall opened. His sister, Regina, came bounding out, her blonde hair falling in loose tangles down her back.

"Scor, what's going on?"

"There's something in the bathroom. Frank's gone to fetch Dad—"

"What kind of something?"

"I don't know. Something big and—"

A soft _whoosh _cut through his words. The thing—whatever it was—slipped through the crack between floor and door. Regina yelped and ran to the other side of the bungalow.

"Don't leave!"

"Shut up, Scor, I'm trying to help!" She threw herself through the front door, leaving Scorpius face-to-face (or lack of face) with the scary cloak-thing. The tattered edges rustled, as if in a breeze.

Scorpius gulped, ducked down, and ran for the table in the front hall.

* * *

><p>A series of frantic <em>bangs<em> at the front door jerked Neville Longbottom awake.

Hannah blinked, then sat up. "Nev? What is that?"

Neville was already swinging his legs out of bed and heading for the front door. He saw the door to Draco and Asteria's room open and broke into a jog. Hannah gasped when she saw who stood behind the front door.

"Frank! What on earth—"

Tears were streaming down the small boy's face. "This thing—it's in our—our bathroom—big—Scor said he'd hold it off—"

Neville bent down and gripped his son's shoulders. "What thing? Slow down, Frank."

Frank took a deep, shaky breath. "It-it's big and black and it floats. Looks like a cloak but it _moves_—"

Draco swore. "Teri, get our wands."

* * *

><p>A Lethifold.<p>

A bloody _Lethifold. _

Of all the things that could have found their way into their vacation, it had to be one of those. A living shroud that smothered and digested sleeping humans without leaving a trace.

Draco shook his head and put on a burst of speed. The children's bungalow wasn't far, but thoughts of what he might find spurred him onward. He raced across the beach, the cold sand stinging his bare feet, clutching his wand. When he reached the door, he threw it open and shouted the charm.

"_EXPECTO PATRONUM!" _

He dimly registered the other voices blending with his; he was almost surprised to see Neville's golden retriever and Asteria's German shepherd bounding toward the Lethifold as his falcon soared above. They circled the flaming creature, the falcon attacking it with its talons, the dogs taking hold of it and tearing it apart.

Wait—flaming?

Moments later, the Lethifold lay in pieces on the bamboo floor. Draco stretched out his hand to receive his falcon Patronus as it flew back. He kept it there, reluctant to lift the charm until he was certain the danger had passed. By its silver glow, he surveyed the wreckage.

The bungalow was a disaster. The small table in the front room had been overturned, lying upside down like a beached turtle. Regina's books were scattered about, and pages of Scorpius' summer homework had been trampled on the floor, bits of dead Lethifold scattered on top.

His children stood in the center of it all, chests heaving. What looked like burns dusted their skin—Scorpius had a small one on his cheek and two on his left hand, while Regina had one on her forehead and another on her arm. Draco knew they were marks from where the Lethifold had gotten too close. They each held a flaming Tiki torch the way he'd seen Muggles hold cricket bats, crouching down slightly, ready to land another blow. The scent of burning oil filled the air.

Draco lowered his hand. With a flutter of wings, his Patronus moved to his shoulder. He heard feet approaching from behind, and then winded breathing as Hannah Longbottom and the park director arrived. It was he who asked the question.

"Did….did you kids just fend off a Lethifold with Tiki torches?"

* * *

><p>From the bungalow to his office, the director never stopped apologizing.<p>

"I'm so sorry about this, Mr. Longbottom. I swear we had the bungalows checked before you arrived—sent the state's best Aurors through, had them sweep the rooms from top to bottom with Patronuses. A Hawaiian pixie couldn't have made it through that, let alone a Lethifold—and you know what the pixies are like here. Faster than one of those Muggle jets, those pixies, and clever too..."

Neville let him finish before assuring him it was quite all right. "The kids are fine, and you couldn't have known. The Lethifold must have slipped inside sometime after we checked in."

The director felt the back of his neck, exhaling. "It doesn't make any sense. We locked this park down before we swept it. Like I said before, nothing could have gotten past us._ Especially_ a Lethifold."

Neville patted the man's shoulder. "Nobody blames you. Now, if you'll take me to your healing supplies, we'd be much obliged."

* * *

><p>Scorpius wasn't sure exactly what his father put on his wounds, but it smelled edible. The park director called it "moe-lay," and claimed it was the best treatment for injuries sustained by magical carnivores.<p>

"Of course, it's never been tried on a Lethifold bite before," he said. "Nobody has ever treated one."

Scorpius shuddered. Across from him, he saw Frank do the same and scoot closer to his mother. Both boys knew what the director meant: Most Lethifold victims vanished without a trace. Very few people were lucky enough to fight back, let alone escape.

His Mum gave the caldron a quick stir and refilled the small bowl. Dad dipped another bandage into the mixture and plastered it over Regina's arm. The spicy-sweet smell tickled Scorpius' nose and made his mouth water.

"What's in it again?" Dad asked.

"Chiles and chocolate, with a bit of murtlap," Uncle Neville said. "Strange recipe, if you ask me."

The park director sat down on a log beside the fire. "It comes from Mexico. Healers there use it for everything—werewolf bites, dementor attacks, you name it. They add a few other things, depending on what they're working with, but they keep the basic mixture."

"It smells delicious," Regina said, and Scorpius nodded in agreement.

Dad raised his eyebrows appreciatively. "If it works, I'll have to get the recipe." He placed a dry bandage over the mole-soaked one, then turned to Scorpius. "Give me your hand, Scor."

Scorpius obeyed, drawing in a sharp breath as the mole stung the burns. Once the wounds were fully covered, Dad dipped a bandage in the mixture and covered the wounds. He wrapped them with a dry bandage, then moved on to the wound on his arm. After a few minutes of silence, the director stood.

"I'm owling the Aurors," he announced. "We're getting to the bottom of this." He walked away, his sandals crunching the soft sand underfoot. A moment of silence lingered; then Regina turned to her brother with a smile.

"I know we almost died, but that was kind of fun, wasn't it?"

* * *

><p><em>As stated here, the word "mole" is the general term used to refer to a group of sauces used in some Mexican dishes. Some versions contain chocolate, which I figured might lend a sort of healing quality to it, as chocolate is used to treat dementor attacks. I figured if other magical substances were added, they could transform mole into a powerful healing potion. It's pronounced "moe-lay," and it is quite tasty.<em>

_Again, I'm not completely sure where I'm going with this, but if enough people like it, I'll write more. _


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